Specific names explained --Introduction

Have you ever wondered where those Specific { Latin} names come from or what they mean.Here in the first of the series we look at the names of plants and birds whose common name begins with A. The common and scientific names will be explained. This will add to your knowledge of Plants and Birds.

Public domain courtesy of Fae at WikiCommons

Plants whose common names begin with A

Agrimony--There is some doubt to the origin of this name but there are three schools of thought.1, The name may come from the Greek meaning a spot on the eye. 2, it derives from Argemone a word given by the Greeks to plants which were healing to the eyes. 3, Wild flower of the field. ie poppy of the field.

eupatoria, the specific name which is always begins with a small letter may recall Mithradates of Eupator, the king who resisted the Roman conquest on Asia Minor in the first century BC,and was said to have introduced the plant to medicine.

Almond--The early English name seems to have been 'almande' both this an the old name and its more modern form came through the french word amande,derived from the Latin amendala,which in turn is a form of the Greek amygdalus, the meaning of which is obscure.

dulcis a specific name means sweet.

amara =the bitter almond.

Anemone nemorosa The wind flower

Anemone, There is a legend that states that Anemos-the wind,gave his name to plants that flower in the early spring,to herald his coming. According to Pliny the Elder, the flowers will not open until the wind blows. Both give rise to another popular name for the plant -wind flower.

nemorosa the specific name indicates of the woods

Alexanders Smyrnium olustrum

Alexanders, the plant is a herb of Macedonia the country of Alexander the Great.

Smyrnium The genus name. The whole plant is edible and the name comes from the Greek smurna,meaning Myrhh,and refers to the taste of the plant.

olusatrum, the specific name alludes to its old name of Black lovage .The fruit is formed into nearly two globular haves with prominent ridges. When ripe it is almost black. Old herbalists called it 'Black pot herb' sspecies name therefore derives from olus-a pot herb and atrumindicating black.

Angelica Angelica archangelica.

Angelica, there are two schools of thought. 1, It derives from angelos meaning a messenger. This alludes to a legend that tells of an angel that appeared to a monk,in a dream, saying to him that this plant would cure the symptoms of the plague. 2, Refers to its angelic properties in healing.

archangelica is the cultivated variety used in confectionary and medicine.

Angelica sylvestris is the wild angelica,sylvestris indicates of the woods.

Alecost { Costmary} Tanacetum balsamita.

Alecost , the common name the first syllable of its common name,ale, derives from the fact it was put to use during the middle ages, when its scented leaves and flowers were used to clarify,preserve and impart flavour to ale{ beer}

Costmary-the alternative common name derives from the Latin costus, meaning an oriental plant, the root of which was used as a spice and as a preserve 'mary' refers to 'Our lady'. in the middle ages the plant was widely associated with her name and was known in France as Herbe Sainte-Marie.

Tanacetum, the genus name derives from a Greek word meaning immortal or long-lived.

balsamita, the specific name, derives from the fact that the whole plant emits a soft balsamic odour-which is pleasanter and more aromatic than that of its near relative the Tansy. The specis name means'bearing balsam'

Angelica Courtesy of Kristian Peters CC BY-SA 3.0 unported license.

Arnica Arnica montana { Leopard's bane}

Arnica from the Greek Arnakis, meaning lamb's tail skin, referring to the rough texture of the leaves.

montana, indicates of the mountains.

Allseed Radiola linoides.

Allseed, the seed production of this tiny plant is so enormous,and the fruiting heads are numerous especially in the autumn, that the common name is very apt.

Radiloa the genus name, indicates radical stems.

linoides, the specific name means like Linum-{flax] family in which it is classed.

Adder's tongue fern. Ophioglossum vulgatum.

The genus name of Ophioglossum also refers to the common name from ophios indicating a serpent and glossa -a tongue.

vulgatum the species name indicates common.

Alder,common--Alnus glutinosa.

Alder, from the old English alor,related to the old German elira.

Alnus. is the Latin name for Alder.

glutinosa the specific name indicates sticky refers to the young leaves and shoots.

Alnus incana the Grey Alder, incana means grey and alluded to the underside of the leaves.